Spoofing; Don't Trust Your Caller-ID -or the Person on the Other End of the Call...

Caller ID spoofing is a term used to refer to the practice of causing your telephone network to display a number on your caller ID display which is not that of the actual entity or place the call is originating from (similar to e-mail spoofing).

Scammers can pretend to be anyone they want including, banks, hospitals, you name it, even the White House -and thieves use this technology on a regular basis to trick you into divulging personal information. From pranks to hoaxes and identity theft -tech companies have a thriving business offering this type of system that allows anyone to change their voice and fake out your caller ID.

Never divulge personal information to people who email, text, or dial you at home. If it's a legitimate company -you can request that you call them back after you look up the legitimate number you have on file or in the phone book. For more info on Spoofing, see tonight's ABC World News report Crooks Trick Your Caller ID for Identity Theft